Michael Alexander Onufer was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP has announced that Michael A. Onufer has been promoted to partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. Onufer's practice focuses on litigation.

Laura Jean Maechtlen was promoted to chair of labor & employment department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in San Francisco.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has announced that Laura Maechtlen has been named chair of the firm's labor and employment department. Maechtlen has served as vice-chair since January 2016. Maechtlen is a partner in the firm's San Francisco office and focuses her practice on employment litigation, including the defense of class, collective and multi-plaintiff actions.

Tyler Guy Welti joined Venable LLP as counsel in San Francisco.

Venable LLP has announced that Tyler G. Welti has joined the firm's environmental practice as counsel in San Francisco. Welti counsels clients on federal and state environmental, natural resource, and land use litigation, including enforcement actions, citizen suits, National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act challenges, and Administrative Procedure Act lawsuits and appeals.

Candace Marie Harrison joined Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. as shareholder in Orange County.

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. has announced that Candace Gomez Harrison has joined as a shareholder in the firm's Orange County office. Harrison's clients cover a wide range of industries, such as finance, healthcare, real estate, retail, technology, and others. She has represented her clients in matters involving wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, workplace violence, and more. She also provides on-site trainings and counsels her clients on litigation avoidance and workplace investigations.

Kristen Elaine Kane joined California Department of Tax and Fee Administration as chief counsel in Sacramento.

Governor Jerry Brown has announced that Kristen Elaine Kane has been appointed chief counsel in the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration's Office of Tax Appeals. Kane will serve as acting director. Prior to being appointed to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, Kane served as deputy director of the California Competes Tax Credit Program at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development.

Patrick J. Somers joined Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP has announced that Patrick J. Somers has joined as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Somers has represented publicly traded and privately held companies and individuals in a wide range of litigation and regulatory matters, including securities litigation, complex commercial disputes, regulatory issues, and government investigations.

Paul Karl Lukacs as head of branch

Crystal Leiane Miller-O'Brien was promoted to corporate counsel of California Law Revision Commission in Los Angeles.

Michael Thomas Frank joined Hogan Lovells as partner in Silicon Valley.

David William Loy was promoted to partner of Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP in Oxnard.

Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP has announced that David Loy has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Oxnard office. At the firm, Loy’s practice involves areas of personal injury, elder and dependent adult abuse, sexual abuse, and administrative appeals, with a particular focus in litigating wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases.

Michael Thomas Frank joined Hogan Lovells as partner in Silicon Valley.

Hogan Lovells has announced that Michael T. Frank has joined its corporate practice as a partner in Silicon Valley. Frank’s practice focuses on advising clients on the compensation and benefits aspects of corporate transactions, including mergers and spin-offs. He counsels clients on the design and implementation of non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, including Section 409A rules and on the proxy disclosure of public company compensation information. Frank also helps companies with issues related to their equity-and cash-based incentive programs.

Mindee J Stekkinger was promoted to partner of Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP in Oxnard.

Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP has announced that Mindee Stekkinger has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Oxnard office. Stekkinger’s practice focuses on personal injury, construction defect, real estate, general civil litigation and insurance policy enforcement. At the firm, Stekkinger defends health care and human service providers, including physicians, hospitals, public health agencies, drug treatment centers, and family service agencies, against claims of personal injury, sexual abuse, elder and dependent adult abuse, wrongful death, and negligence.

Darryl Craig Hottinger was promoted to partner of Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP in Oxnard.

Beach Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP has announced that Darryl Hottinger has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Oxnard office. Hottinger heads the firm’s law and motion department, handling critical motions, writs, and appeals.

Justin Scott Nahama joined Troutman Sanders LLP as partner in San Diego.

Troutman Sanders LLP has announced that Justin Nahama has joined the firm’s business litigation practice as a partner in San Diego. Nahama’s practice focuses on business litigation, intellectual property, technology, white collar defense and government investigations and enforcement. He also represents entrepreneurs in all facets of start-up ventures, including litigation-avoidance strategies.

David Jason Gershon joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has announced that David J. Gershon has joined the firm’s corporate practice group as a partner in San Francisco. Gershon’s practice focuses on the representation of financial institutions in securities and general corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance, SEC reporting, securities offerings and corporate governance. He also represents technology companies, underwriters and private equity funds in these matters.

Wynter Lavier Deagle joined Troutman Sanders LLP as partner in San Diego.

Troutman Sanders LLP has announced that Wynter Deagle has joined the firm’s business litigation practice as a partner in San Diego. Deagle’s practice focuses on all manner of business disputes, including commercial litigation, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, class actions and First Amendment claims. He has counseled directors and officers of both public and private companies on corporate governance issues and fiduciary duties and advises on data breach incident management and response, privacy related litigation and regulatory inquiries related to data security practices.

Jonathan David Littrell was promoted to managing partner of Raines Feldman LLP in Beverly Hills.

Raines Feldman LLP elected Jonathan Littrell, a partner in the firm’s corporate department, to serve as its new managing partner and CEO. The appointment makes Littrell one of, if not the, youngest managing partners of a mid-sized or large law firm in California, according to the firm. Littrell has extensive transactional experience in a broad range of corporate, private equity, securities and real estate disciplines, and is known for his practical approach to servicing clients’ needs.

Keslie Anne Stewart joined San Francisco City Attorney’s Office as head attorney in San Francisco.

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office has announced Keslie Stewart has joined as head attorney of the public integrity unit. Stewart will oversee all of the office’s investigations involving government ethics, contracting fraud, city employee misconduct and similar cases. Stewart served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 12 years, where she rose from an assistant U.S. attorney to chief of the Oakland Branch Office. As head of that office, she supervised the intake and investigation of cases referred by more than a dozen federal agencies, including the FBI and IRS.

Robert William Kadlec joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Duane Morris LLP has announced that Robert W. Kadlec has joined the firm’s corporate practice group as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Kadlec has provided counsel in a broad range of mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing transactions and corporate governance matters. He has experience advising both private equity and corporate clients on a variety of matters related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities laws matters including leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations, minority investments, joint ventures and public company acquisitions. Kadlec also advises a variety of public and private companies in corporate governance, SEC reporting and other matters.